Buckle



(No Model.)

T. O. POTTER.

BUCKLE.

No. 320,089. Patented June 16, 1885.

UNTTED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

THOMAS O. POTTER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,089, dated June 16, 1885.

Application filed April 28, 1854.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS O. POTTER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Buckles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification in explaining its nature, in which Figures 1, 2, and 3 relate to the manufacture of the buckle-blank. Fig. 4 is a plan of the buckle-blank. Fig. 5 is a view of the complete buckle. Figs. 6 and 7 show in front and end elevation a modified form, and Fig. 8 is a plan of the blank from which the buckle-tongue is made. Fig. 9 is a plan of the blank from which the jaw of the buckle is formed.

This invention relates to a buckle made of wire, whereby I am enabled to obtain a very strong construction, and at the same time so economically use and shape the metal that there is little or no waste of material or labor.

Referring to the drawings, a represents the buckle-blank, and it comprises the top bar, a, the end bars, (0 each of which is curved inwardly at a at or near the center of its length, and the lower section, a". The blank in this shape is formed in the following way: I make an arbor or form, A, of the shape shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3-that is, its surface has the shape of the interior configuration of the buckleblank. It will be seen that its opposing surfaces I) b are parallel, and that each of the two surfaces 1) has a groove, b formed therein. This arbor or form I place in a lathe or other suitable device for revolving it, and wind wire continuously about it from one end to the other. The arbor or form thus wound with wire is then removed from the lathe and placed in a box-die, O, the under surface of which has the upward extending former, 0, preferably running lengthwise the same. The sides of this box-die extend upward, and the cavity formed thereby is of a size suflicient to admit the placing therein of the arbor or form with the wound wire thereon, as represented in Fig. 2. This box-die is then placed under a drop-press, and another die or former, a, having a shape similar to that of the die or former in the lower portion of the box, but projecting in the opposite direction, is placed upon the (N0 model.)

head of the drop, and is forced thereby upon the arbor or former in the box-die, thereby causing the wire wound thereon to take the shape of the arbor or form, and thereby make the curves a in the end bars of the blank. The arbor or form is then removed from the boX-die, and the wire blanks completed by cutting the wound wire upon a straight line, Fig. 3, lengthwise the frame. This separates the wire into the individual blanks, and the blanks thus formed have the shape shown in Fig. 4. Its upper bar, a, preferably, is then flattened by a drop-press to form a flat surface against which the ends of the teeth (1 of the buckle may come in contact. The cross-bar e is then fastened to the buckle, and preferably in this way: A wire of the proper length is cut, and the buckle-blank and the wire inserted into a holding device in such a manner that the wire projects above and below the same. This is put under a drop-press having suitably-formed dies for trimming the ends of the wire around the-end bars of the buckle, and within the curves previously formed therein.

The jaw of the buckle is made of thin flat metal blank D, shaped as shown in Fig. 8, and

having the portion d which is bent around the crossbar and forms a sleeve, and the teeth (1, which are made concave to provide strength. The lower end, a, of the buckle may, if desired, support a hook, G, which is formed from a flat metal blank, g, shaped substantially as shown in Fig. 9, the portion 9 of which is bent about the bar a to form a sleeve, and the portion of which is bent to form a hook; or the ends of the wire may be made sufficiently long to form a hook, as represented in Figs.

6 and 7, in which case the two portions a of 0 the hook are secured together by a metallic sleeve, (6.

By this construction I am enabled to obtain a very solid and substantial result at a small expense and without any waste of material.

The buckle represented in the drawings is one adapted for use in connection with suspenders, and for that reason has a jaw whereby the buckle is secured to the end of a strap, and a hook for connecting the suspender-end with the detachable button-hole pieces or ends; but I do not confine myself to the use of this buckle for this purpose, but may use it for any other purpose, and of course I may usein lieu of the hook a loop or any other similar finish.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In a buckle, the frame made of wire and having an inward curve, 0?, formed in the end bars thereof, and the cross-bar 6, having its ends bent about the end bars of the frame within the curve, and the cross-bar a for uniting and tying the two end bars together, all

substantially as and for the purposes described.

THOMAS O. POTTER.

Witnesses: V

F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, FRED. B. DOLAN, 

